Description:

Approach: Walk up Oak creek about an hour past Solar Slab staying to the right when the canyon forks. Continue up the north fork until you come to a spot with two large, healthy pine trees, one on each side of the creekbed. This marks the start of the approach ramp. Head up the slabs/ramp past Eagle Dance and Levitation until you reach the end of the ledge system. The climb is directly above you. Go up the right side of the Black Tower, then wander up to the top.
Descent: From the top of the last pitch, head for a red pinnacle and skirt it on the right. Now continue along the ridge until you run out of sandstone. At a red saddle, head down the obvious, waterpolished slabs which will take you back to your packs.

10 Ascents Recorded

Rainbow Buttress

Awesome route. Get an early start if you're not simulclimbing. Make sure everyone is comfortable in chimneys. Such an awesome route, even though I ended up leading the last 3 pitches by failing headlamp.

EXCELLENT!!!

Great route. Took the original variation which climbs a flared offwidth to an awesome 5.7 crack leading to a roof. Spectacular views and exposure. It IS a long day though. Walk in alone took 3 hours (1 hr on sunny slabs...real hot!). Start early and move fast. The cracks down low are fun and exciting. Even has some old Herbst chimney stuff. Great route and definitely a 5-star climb!!

excellent

great day out- took the dihedral variation, felt more like 5.9 to me. rps or the smallest cams would be a nice addition, as would an extra #3 or #4 camalot if you're not a solid 5.10 leader. the final pitch (the bolted variation) felt VERY hard for 5.7- and the rock quality made it spooky. also- look on mountain project for the chicken lips descent beta for a 40 min descent back to the painted bowl!

Rainbow Buttress

Hard to beat the day we had, with Liba from NM. Perfect weather, company and terrain. Oak Creek is prob the most enjoyable full length canyon (your descent) of all of Red Rocks. We did this in 10+ hrs and never climbed together before and took plenty of breaks, this is more of a II-III day vs IV. The rock was quite stellar and pitches 2, 3 and 6 were very good for the grade by Red Rocks standards. I took a slide nut for that thin section on 6 and it fit the bill. Single rack worked great all day. Quite a few trees to sling as well.